Thursday, August 21, 2014
Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre
Telemental Health Centralized Intake Program for Children and Youth
The Ministry of Children and Youth Services continues to strengthen mental health services for children and youth since the release of the Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy in 2011.
The launch of the Tele-Mental Health Service has begun with the plan to expand access to children and youth in rural, remote and underserved communities identified as having the greatest need, using videoconferencing. This will include First Nations, Metis, Inuit, urban Aboriginal, and francophone children, youth and their families.
As of October 1st six Coordination Agencies will be responsible for referrals in all communities. Effective that date, all publicly funded child and youth mental health community service providers working with children and youth in designated rural, remote and underserved areas will make referrals directly to Coordination Agencies. The three “hubs” that provide specialized child and youth mental health services - The Hospital for Sick Children; Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario; and Child and Parent Resource Institute – will no longer accept referrals directly from any source other than the Coordination Agencies.
Coordination Agencies will conduct a “Service Readiness Review” for every referred child/youth with the referring agency. The package will then be sent to The Hospital for Sick Children that is now responsible for coordinating intake among the three hubs. This involves triaging referrals provincially, assigning the referrals to the most appropriate psychiatrist at one of the three hubs and scheduling the consultations between community service providers, on behalf of the client, and the hub psychiatrist.
We are in the process of establishing service eligibility criteria and referral processes, and developing a glossary of terms that will be distributed prior to October 1st.
SOAHAC has been selected as one of the three Aboriginal service providers of the six Tele-Mental Health Service coordination agencies that will provide access to specialized mental health consultations. Direct mental health services to children and youth which continue to be the responsibility of the referring service provider. All publically-funded mental health professionals will be able to refer young people to the new service by contacting one of the six coordination agencies. The date for the centralized intake to begin is October 1, 2014.
Our service area is called “Area 4” and covers the existing SOAHAC catchment area as well as additional territory as far north as Nippissing First Nation and southeast to Tyendinaga. The coordinator will be contacting organizations to review the process, including attending on site at your request.
Media Contact:
Cristine Rego
Tele-Mental Health Coordinator
519-289-0352 ext 287
Toll free: 1-877-289-0381
Cell: 266-377-0748
crego@soahac.on.ca
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